The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has called for an urgent, coordinated, and multidisciplinary global response to the growing threat posed by synthetic drugs.

Justice Tettey, chief of the drugs, Laboratory and Scientific Services Branch at UNODC, made the call on Tuesday during the third annual open-ended intergovernmental meeting on the global synthetic drug problem.

The meeting was hosted by the agency in Vienna and monitored virtually by journalists. It focused on international integrated responses across four key areas: multilateralism, counternarcotics interventions, early warning systems, and health responses.

According to Mr Tettey, the world is witnessing the emergence of new psychoactive substances at an unprecedented pace.

“UNODC is currently monitoring about 1,400 of such substances globally, and they are increasing at the rate of about two new substances a week,” he said

He said trafficking methods are also becoming increasingly sophisticated, driven by the high potency and economic appeal of synthetic drugs.

“For a small amount, you end up with so many doses, and criminal networks are exploiting legitimate trade, supply chains, and digital tools to expand their operations.

“These criminal networks are continuously evolving, exploiting legal loopholes and technological advancements, thereby rendering traditional drug control responses insufficient,” he said.

Mr Tettey said the impact of synthetic drugs cuts across multiple sectors, including public health, public security, criminal justice systems, border management, financial systems, and, in some cases, governance.

He stressed the need for an urgent, coordinated, multidisciplinary, and multilateral response, noting that this was the basis of the UNODC synthetic drug strategy.

Mr Tettey highlighted the importance of expertise and diversity in tackling the problem, noting that the meeting brought together 75 participants from 38 countries.

He, however, noted that while synthetic drugs posed a common global challenge, local dynamics varied across regions.

“In some regions, it is about stimulants while in others, it is about opioids, and these differences must be reflected in the solutions we develop.”

Mr Tettey also emphasised that science lies at the core of an effective response, saying that consistent and global application of scientific approaches would enable evidence-based actions.

He said such approaches would empower law enforcement, policymakers, and health sectors to respond decisively to emerging threats.

While calling on participants to adopt a unified approach, he urged integration of public health, law enforcement, forensic science, and border control in addressing the synthetic drug challenge.

He reaffirmed UNODC’s commitment to supporting member states through scientific expertise, integrated programming, and international networks.

(NAN)